Machine for and process of bundling plasterboard units or the like



1929. c. R. BIRDSEY 1,7305113 MACHINE FOR AND PROCESS OF BUNDLINGPLASTERBOARD UNITS ORTHE LIKE Filed Aug. 12 192'! 2 Sheets-sheaf, I;

c. R. BIRDSEY 1,730,113

MACHINE FOR AND PROCESS OF BUNDLING PLASTERBOARD UIITS OR THE LIKE Oct.1, 1929.

, 1927 '2 S heets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12

Patented a. 1 1929 N 1 TE D "S TAT CHARLES B. BIRDSEY, OF HINSDALE,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE UNITED STATES I GYPSUM 00., OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MACHINE FOR AND rnocnss OF numnnmePLASTERBOARD onus, on. THE LIKE Application filed August 12, 1927.Serial a... 212,529.

This invention relates to a machine for and process of bundling gypsumboard 'or plasterboard units or the like, and haspartic ular relationtosuch a machine and process 5 whereby such bundles may be prepared inform suitable for shipment from the place of their manufacture to theplace of their utilization in construction work or the like.

Oneobject oft'he invention is to provide a machine and'process.forpreparing bundles of the above-indicatedcharacter in such form that thefinished edges ofthe boards will be protected during shipment andhandling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine and processwhereby bundles of the above-indicated character may beproduced mosteconomically by continuous operations.

Other objects and advantages of the in- 10 vention will appear from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ma.

chine designed in accordance with this invent'ron, only those partsessential to an understanding of the invention'being shown; Fig. 2' is atop plan view of the machine I shown in Fig. 1L; Fig. 3 is an" enlargedsectional view taken on the" line 33 of Fig. 1, of parts designed toform the compact tightbundle produced by the machine. and process of thepresent invention; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational'view of means designed to maintain pressure upon the edges .of thebundles; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4; I

- Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view 'taken on the line 6-6 of Fig.1;; I Fig. 7 is a still furtherenlarg'ed fragmentary sectional view,also taken on the line 6'6 ofFig. 1, and showing in greater detailcertain of the parts shown'in Fig. 6; 1

- Fig.- 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 88 of v.ig.1 and showing in detail one oftwo past rs embodied in the machine; and 1Fig. 9 is a fragmentary .sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figal,and showing certain details of one of two devices for folding bindingstrips 'overthe edges of the boards to be bundled. r The uses of theabove mentioned parts will become more apparent. from the followingdetailed description. The machine consists of a suitable framecomprisinga plurality bfnprights carrying upper and lower. channel members (1).

'These channel members are open or partly cut away at intervals topermit the operation of rollers (34 and 35) the function of which isdescribed hereinafter. A main. carrier belt (2) is driven by means offlanged pulleys (3 and 4) which are supported on-the frame in suitablebearings. These .pulleys are so disposed as to support the upper ortionof the belt (2) to constitute a substantially hori- I zontal tangentsection passing inside the lower channel member, (1) to feed the boardsto be bundled through the machine with a continuous movement, Idlerpulleys (5) that are also) suitably journaled in the frame furthersupport the belt (2) and maintain tension therein. A motor (6) operatesageared reducer- (7) which inturn' drives a geared wheel (8) that issecured to a shaft (8), to which one'of two intermeshing gears 9) isalso secured- By varyin' the rat o of the gear reducer the speed of opration of the machine can be changed as-necessary. The other of the twogears (9)1is secured to Ta. shaft (9 carrying a pulley (10). whichdrives a beltor chain (10) 'to drlve ap'ulle (10") that is secured to ashaft 3). whio also carries. the pulley (3 Apul ey (11) is also attachedto the she t (8) and drives a pulley (12) by means of a belt orchain'(11) the pulley- (12) being secured to a shaft (12) erates withsaid pulley (13) to support the belt (14) in a horizontal position withits lower tangent section running under and within the upperv channelmember (1) Paper binding stri s (32) are supplied from paper rolls (15one upper and one lower. -A guide .(18) is used in connection with theupper paper strip to guide the paper from its roll'to the upper paster(19) whlch supplies pasteto the edges of said strip. A lower paster (16)similarly applies paste to .the lower paper strip. The lower strip isformed into place by a shaper or former (17) which consists of asuitably bent piece of sheet metal fastened to the framework of themachine, as shown in Fig. 9, to turn up the pasted edge of the paperstrip to engage the margins of the bundle. The upper str'i passesthrough a similar former 20) -whic has a like action. Nearthe head ofthe machine, tension devices (21) are installed to form a compact bundlebefore and during the application of the paper binding stripsF Thesetension devices, as shown in ig. 3, consist ofstirrups (22) mounted onthe channel bars (1) of the main frame and secured thereto b means ofbolts (26) andwing nuts (26). hese bolts respectively carry plates (25)which bearagainst the opposite edges of thebundle as it passes throughthe machine. This action is efiected by coiled compression springs (26")res ectively disposed around the shanks of .the golts (26) andcooperating between bosses (26) on the inner surfaces of the flanges ofthe channel membars (1) and washers (26) hearing against cotter pins(26) .extend'mg through the shanks of said bolts, to bias said bolts andthe lates (2'5) inwardly to a maximum extent imited b the adjustment ofthe wing nuts (26). T e springs (26") ress the plates (25) against theopposite e ges of the bundles passing through the machine with sufli-'cient' force to'compact said bundles. thor-' oughly. Attached to thestirrups (22 and ad ustably secured thereto by means o bolts (24 and winnuts (24' are spacer stirru s (23 whlch eter ine t 0 maximum thic nessof the bundles entering the machine and The upper channel member (1) isverti- .cally slidable between the uprights of the frame of the machineand presses the lower tangent section of-the upper belt (14) downwardly. Thus, when there are bundles in themachine, this section of thebelt (14) is firm- 1y pressed against the up er edges thereof and thelower edges of the bundles are correspondin ly pressed a ainst the lowerbelt (2). T e upper an lower ed s of the boards in each bundle are thushe (1 securely lower and upper. channels in alignment to facilitateapplication of the. binding strips (32) and setting of the adhesive bywhich said strips are applied, and the firm engagement of these edges bythe belts 2 and 14) insures positive advancement of the bundles throughthe machine due to the movement of the belts.

VVhen there are no bundles in the machine, l

this load. The action of gravity upon the upper channel member 1) isaugmented by a suitable leaf sprin%(30 the ends of'which, as best shownin ig. 4, bear downwardly upon the upper surface of 'the upper channelmember (1) and a cross bar (29) bears upon the top ofthe spring (30)substantially at the middle thereof. Side rods. (27) pass throughsuitable openings in the bar (29) near the respective ends thereof andextend downwardly through corresponding openings in a similar cross bar(28) underlying and bearing against the bottom of the lower channelmember (1). Thus itwill be seen. that the spring (30) presses thefioatin uping the extremities of the rods (27) which are screw-threadedfor thatpurpose. p

After the bundle has left, the region of the tension device (21) it mustbe maintained in position and the paper strips along the ed es must beheld in place and the paste or g uebe allowed to set. :This is done, asshown in Fig. 6, by felt pads or strips that are per channel member ('1)downward y to carried by elongated blocks or strips (33) of woodsuitably secured to the inner surfaces of the flanges of the channelmembers (1). These felt pads or strips are sufliciently resilient tomaintain the proper degree (of compacting force on the bundles after thesame have passed beyond the tension device.

Figs. 6 and 7 clearly show the arrangement of the parts of the machinewhereby the lower main carrier belt (2) and the upper main belt (14) arerespectively dis osed within the V 1) to be freely qnovablelongitudinally thereof. Rollers (34 and 35) are suitably ournaled on theouter surfaces of the lower and upper channel members "(1),respectively,

and extend through openings or cut-away portions in the channel membersto facilitatethe move 'ment of the belts (2 and. 14), respectively,

and also to press said belts against the bottom and top edges of thebundles moving through the machine. Fig. 7'shows in greater detail thanFig. 6 the construction whereby the felt er's( pads (33) are caused tobear against'the edges of the bundles of boards (31) to which the pastedportions of. the binding strips (32) have been attached. I As shown inFig. 8, each of the'pasters (16 and 19) comprisesa-paste ot'(36 containing suitable'paste or glue 38) an roll- 3 so mounted as tocontinuously dip into or run partially submer ed in the paste or glue.As the paper strip 32) passes over the rollers, paste is applied to theedges of v the strip.

In operating'my machine and practicing myv process, the boards to bebundled are formed into loosei segregated assemblies and placed in themachine in a vertical position restingon the lower main carrier belt(2). As the bundles advance due to the movement of this belt and theupper belt (14) they are.

mompacte'd by the tension devices (21) into; compact, tight form. Thelower edges- 1y of the bundles are engaged at first, the upper edgesbeing engaged-as the bundles pass further along. As the bundles areadvanced,

paster .(16 an'daround the pulley (4) onthe main riving belt with thewet pasted edges away from thekbelt and presented upwardly toward thebundle of boards.

. The movement of the bundle draws the lower paper strip (32) throughthe former (17), which folds the paste bearing marginalportions of saidstrip over into firm contact with the lower marginal edges of the outersurfaces of the outside boards of the bundle. From the upper roll 'asimilarstrip is drawn through the paster (19) and is similar 15 bent bythe former (20) to engage the compressed'upper edge of the compactedbundlejust before the bundle passes under the upper main belt 14). Asthe bundles pass along the machine they are maintained in j compacttight .iorm bythe felt pads" (33) until the paste or glue on'the strips32) has set. The time allowed for such setting'canbe regulated either bylengthening the cenn tral portion of the machineor. by reducing the rate-of travel of the carrier belts.

As each bundle is freed from the upper belt,"the paper strips aremanually severed v at the rearward end thereof and theformed bundles aretaken from the machine indi-' vidually...

Asjtheiedges of; the bundles are released from-compression, the naturalresiliency of the boards causes a' certain amount of spring which issufficient tov completely tighten the 1 paper strips and produce a tightbundle which .is convenient forl andling and shipping.

i Thepapei' binding strips are. appliedwith sutficien't tightnessthatfwhen the bundles spring as just described,there is not sufiicientplay'to T permit relative shifting of the various unit 1 members withinthe bundle.

It is to be understood that the term plasterboard or the like asusedherein comprehends all types of building material sheets or boardsthat are adapted to be bundledinthe manner herein described, as, forexam 1e,

psum-cor'e boards adapted to be use in p aceof wood lathing and plastercovering, as well as boards adapted to be used in place of wood lathinonly and to have finish coats of plaster app ied thereto. The number ofboards included in each bundle may bgvaried at will and is ordinarilydetermined by the size and weight of the individual boards, whereby eachfinished bundle; is of such weight that it can be eificiently handled bya single workman.

My invention contains many novel iea- 7 one of the paper strips (32) isdrawn off the own scope-of application by the detailed valowerpaperroll15) and passes through the riation of some of these steps of thecomposite process herein described.

I Having thus described my invention, what of loose assemblies-ofplaster-board units, 'or 1 the like, in a vertical position to advancethe same continuously; means for compacting said loose assemblies intotight compact engag ement'; means for supplying binding straps forcertain of the edges thereof; means for applying paste or glue to theedges of said binding s rips; means for applying said binding strips tothe said edgesrof said assemblies while the latter are in a com-pacttight form; and means for maintaining said assemblies in a compact tightform with the binding strips applid to' the edges thereof until thepaste or glue has become set; sairl combined 'means yielding composite,shippab le packages.

*2 In a bundling machine of the kind described for plasterboard ,or thelike, in combination, a main driving belt designed to carry and advancesegregated assemblies of board units; formingmeans to apply paper stripsto the marginal edges of such segregatecl assemblies; means forcompressing'said as-' sembliesinto a compact, tight form in whichsubstantially all the resiliency of the units is removed; meanspreceding the application of tight the paste or glue on said strips hasbecome dryand'set; said means in continuous opera-v tionproducingtight,- substantial, merhantable packages. I, 32111 a bundling machineof the kinddescribed, for plasterboard or, the like, in com-- Abination, a main driving belt desi carry and advance segregated assemlies of board units, means for compressing the loosely formed bundlesinto a compact, tight form in which substantially all theresilieney ofthe units is removed; forming means ada ted to apply paper strips to themarginal e gesof said segregated assemblies, means preceding the aplication of said strips for supplying an ac hesive to'secure, saidstrips to said assemblies, and means for maintaining the assemblies incompact condition until the adhesivc has set before separating theassemblies into individual unit ackages or bundles.

4. In a bundling maciiine adapted to receive a continuous series ofgroups of plasterboards or the like. the boards of each group beingdisposed. in face-to-face relation, means, continuously moving forengaging the edges of the boards of each group to form a series ofaligned bundles and to advance said bundles with a continuous movement,and means for applying binding strips to the opposite' edges of saidbundles during the continuousmovement thereof.

5. In a bundling machine, continuously moving means for advancing acontinuous series of bundles of plasterboards or the like I and foraligning the edges of said boards,

means for applying'binder strips to the oppositecdges of said series ofbundles, means for folding said binder strips about the edges of saidbundles to form flaps, means for compressing said bundles durmg thecontinuous movement thereof, and'means for pressing said flaps againstsaid bundles during the continuous movement thereof.

6. In a bundling machine, continuously movingmeansforengagingtwooppositeedges of a continuous series of groupsofplasterboards or the like to advance such groups with a continuousmotion, means for applying binder strips to opposlte edges of saidgroups, means for applying an adhesive to said strips before applicationto said groups,means for folding'adhesive-covered portions of said bindthe settingof said adhe'sive' 7. In a bundling machine, an endlessconveyor, vmeans for imparting continuous mo-t tion to said conveyor tocause the forward movement of a series of bundles of plasterboards orthe like, means for continuously ap-v plying binding strips to certainof the edges .60

of said bundles, means for applying an adhesive to said binding stripsbefore application to said bundles, means adapted to press said. bindings'trip's' into contact. with said bundles, and means formaintaiiiilrgpressure strips to cause the setting upon said binding edto ment of said bundles.

8. In a bundling machine, means for advancing-a series of bundlesofplasterboards 'or the like with a continuous movement,

means for applying binding strips to the opposite edges of said seriesof bundles, means for appl ing an adhesive to said binding strips be oreapplication to said bundles, and continuous belts adapted to pressagainst said binding strips after application to said of said adhesiveduring the continuousiiiovebundles to facilitate the setting of saidadliesive.

9.,The process of producing compact, distributing bundles ofplasterboards or the like, comprising continuously applyingcompactcontinuous series of loosely-packed assemblies of such boards toform bundles of nonshifting individual units and applying binding stripsto said opposite edges of said bundles while the compacting force isapplied thereto. i I

10. The method of packaging plasterboard units or the like comprisingthe forming of compact, tight, segregated assemblies of such units whilein a vertical position, continuously advancing said assemblies byengagement with the top and bottom edges only thereof, applying paste orglue to the edges of tough, fibrous binding strips, applying said pastedbihdin strips to the opposite marginal edges of a continuous series ofthe com )acted, assemblies, and allowing these bin ing edges'to becomeset before separatingthe series of compacted assemblies into individualunit ackages or bundles.

11. In-a mac ine of the class described,

means for continuously advancing loose assemblies of plasterboard unitsor the like,

means for applying compacting force to two opposite edges only of said.loose assemblies, means for supplyin binding strips for said compactededges 0 said units, means for applying an adhesive to saidbiridingstrips, means for applyingsaid binding strips to said compactededges of said assemblies, and

means for maintaining said edges of said as semblies compacted until theadhesive has become set, said combined means yielding 'ing force to twoopposite edges only of a composite, tight packages suitable forshipment.

12. In a bundling machine, means for continuously receivingplasterboards or the like in groups, each group comprising a pluralityof such boards in face-to-face, loose arrange- I ment, means forcompressing two opposite edges only ,of said boards to form a continuousseries of bundles, and means for applying fibrous binder strips by anadhesive to said opposite edges of said bundles while the same aremaintained in compression.v

13. Ii a bundling machine, means for continuously receivingplasterboards or the like 1 in groups, each group comprising a plural-1,7so,1 1s

ity of such boards disposed in face-to-face relation, means forcompressing two opposite edges only of such groups of boards to form acontinuous series of bundles, means for advancing said bundles with acontinuous movement, and means for applying fibrous binder strips tosaid compressed opposite edges of said bundles during the continuousmovement thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES R. BIRDSEY.

